Not a dream sequence
by justaroundtheriverbender
Summary: Rick and Michonne navigate between their desires for each other and their safety in the zombie Apocalypse.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with the walking dead show or the comics.

After the horror at the prison where Michonne nearly escaped with her life, where rick nearly lost his, and the moment of joy when Michonne found Rick, along with Carl, the three were on the road to terminis together. Rick was hopeful about a place of safety, while Carl and Michonne were off to the side laughing together. Only Michonne could make Carl laugh like that, Rick thought to himself as he smiled and continued to look around their small camp site for threats in the distance. As the hours winded down from what seamed like morning to the early afternoon, Carl had fallen asleep and Rick as drifted off himself.

Michonne was still up and still starving, but the one bit of delight she could possibly take was a bath. As she ventured not to far away from Rick and Carl towards a nearby lake. She could still seem them in her sights the entire time. She was always careful that way.

Resting her katana on the ground followed by a pile of her clothes, Michonne stepped into the water which rippled as her body while she moved further towards the center of the once still late. Rick woke up by Carl who was on the ground asleep, his eyes searched around seeing Michonne had vanished. Standing up he kept his eyes on Carl as he backed up following a distant sound of lapping water but his hearing didn't realized it as much and his mind instantly thought to danger.

It was one of the few times Rick had seen her without her katana, and the only time he'd seen her with not much else on. Watching Michonne cup water in her hands and pour it along her lean shoulders, he stared at her slender back, his eyes trailing down to see just the hint of her bare ass teasing his sight as he was aware of the fullness of her rear but couldn't get the full view he craved. As Michonne turned around, rick's eyes widened in lust seeing her round breasts and dark nipples and that flat yet toned stomach. He clenched his fist tightly realizing his hand formed to touch her breast even from his distance. Looking down, then back to check on Carl, his eyes defied decency and stared back at Michonne's round mounts. He didn't even think that she would have noticed him.

"Rick." She called out.

Rick turned around, quickly facing away from Michonne. "I...I'm...sorry. I ugh...thought you were gone, thought something musta happened to you. I woke up and you were gone."

"Does that explain while you were watching me so long." She asked.

"No...that's my fault. I saw you and just, i don't know. I couldn't stop looking."

"First time you've seen a a naked woman in some time, I can't blame you for staring."

"Fist time I've seen you... you're not just any woman."

Rick could hear the sound of the water, and he could feel her nearing him. He wouldn't turn around but he wouldn't move to give her privacy either. I should let her dress in private, he thought to himself but it was only a thought. He felt her wet hands on the back of his shoulders. He willed himself to turn around then looked down at her naked body, beads of water streaming down her flawless dark skin. Her skin always seemed to glow, he though as he looked down at her body before starring into her soulful dark eyes. Her stare was different, she wans't on edge like you had to be in this world, she seemed completely relaxed.

They said nothing to each other, and still said nothing as Rick grabbed her slender waistline in his hands and eliminated any space between them. The two still stared into each other's eyes, their looks were longing and loving. Rick moved a hand up to her left cheek and stroked it with his thumb, his eyes lowered as did hers seconds before the two engaged in a heated kiss.

Rick tightly wrapped his arms around her waist, slightly lifting her from the ground as their tongues fought for dominance, both moaned in unions tasting each others kiss while Michonne wrapped her arms around Rick's neck and both his hands ventured down to firmly grab her shapely bottom.

Michonne pulled her arms back carefully, then broke their kiss. She felt rick's heavy breathing near her lips as her own rapid breaths meet with his. Michonne smiled with that radiant smile of her's as she stared up at Rick's handsome face.

"I've just taken a bath and now your willing me to get dirty all over again."

"Rick smirked," I'll help get you clean after after, I promise."

It wasn't long before rick had her and when he did, it felt like drinking a class of cold ice lemon aid after a year long drought. He had no idea this was what he wanted. Michonne, like this. To be inside her. But as it happened it felt the most right to him. She was laid under him, on grass and dirt by the lake, her thighs parted with his body laid between them, his hips thrusting back and forth inside her, their moans crashing into one anther like waves. Michonne's arms wrapped around him with her nails digging into his back.

As he'd hit deep inside her, making her moan dangerously loudly, he covered her mouth with his as a precaution for his upcoming thrusts hitting just as deep from now on. He moved quickly inside Michonne and growled against her mouth in between deep groans as she shed blood while clawing down his back.

Rick balled a fist up and slammed it into the ground, the tension in his body ready for a release, Michonne's hands found his and laced her fingers in between his watching the beauty of their hands colliding, her dark skin against his pale one. Rick pinned her hands to he ground above her head and cooed in delight of her breasts bouncing against his bare chest the harder he went. Feeling his cock swell within the tightness of Michonne's warm womanhood, he struggled not to scream as he felt Michonne's heated spray of cum around his cock just as he exploded deep within her.

Rick clasped on top of her, resting his forehead against her's as he released his hands from hers running his touch down the inside of her arms and circling his hands around her breasts squeezing them before his mouth went to suck at each of her nipples.

"Michonne..." he said looking up at her. His hands running upwards over her firm breasts then cupping her face. He watched as she stared back at him, she shared his deep connection he could feel it, she could feel it.

"Rick..." she responded back curiously at the same time watching him struggle to get his next few words out. He didn't want to say to much, he couldn't rick pouring out his entire heart to her like he wanted, something was holding him back, maybe it was the fear that he could loose her or that she could loose him. Michonne ended his internal struggle and just kissed his forehead then gently combed her hands through his hair, petting him tenderly.

"We could both use a bath now." She smiled.


	2. Chapter 2

Carl slept soundly until he woke up only moments after his father and Michonne connected at the lake. As he awoke, unknowable of what the two were up to, the sound of a walker directed his attention opposite the lake, then the sound of another walker and another.

"DAD!" Carl shouted as he sat up and reached for his gun. Standing, Carl shouted again for his dad then saw Rick and Michonne rushing towards him from the lake. Michonne unleashed her katana and Rick rushed past Carl, "You stay back Carl." Rick ran through each on coming water with a knife to the head in each undead scull, dodging the hands clamoring to grab him. Michonne Stood by Carl who looked up at her questioning, "where were the two of you?" In that moment walkers were falling to their feet by rick but more swarmed Michonne and Carl. Michonne took a protective stance in front of Carl, "don't shoot until you have to." She then charged at the mass of walkers, heads of walkers collecting on the ground along with their headless bodies that came falling after. Michonne skillfully kept hacking off the heads of as many walkers, while Carl shot one in the back of the head that neared behind Michonne. Rick's feet bolted through the leaves rushing back to Michonne and Carl. Carl continued to shoot around taking out any walker approaching himself or Michonne. As the last walker fell Carl rushed to her side and the two stood frozen for a moment.

"We gotta get outta here, lets go!" Rick said in a panic as the three rushed the opposite way through the woods as fast as their feet could take them, dodging trees, and leaping over breaks in the ground, a hard of what seemed to be a hundred walkers staggered in the distance behind them.

All they could do was run. And keep running. Ahead of them was clear, away from danger. But the sounds of the raspy calls of the heard was not to far from the ear. Leaping onto the road one after the other, the three were now on solid ground and fighting against their own tiredness with fleeting breath. They had to stop running, at some point there needed to be a refuge.

Some time later they were all in the clear, finding a broken down home surrounded by land that was swamp like, good for delaying any walkers though it took Rick, Carl and Michonne some time to cross it themselves. They checked if the home was empty, tip toeing like a coyote around the home, if anyone was sill in there, they wouldn't be able to hear a thing. Seeing that no one was in the home, Rick Carl and Michonne proceeded to board up any doors and windows the walkers, or other humans for that matter, could get through.

Rick sighed as he fell onto the living room couch, his hands bloody from his encounter with the walkers, Michonne sat beside him, her own hand sore from using her own strength to separate walker's heads from their bodies. She looked even more tired then he did in that moment while Carl had his priorities straight by searching around the kitchen for some food.

Rick looked over at Michonne with concern, he couldn't help but to affectionately touch her thigh.

"You ok?"

"I'm alright" she replied then placed her hand over his with just as much affection then asked.

"You alright?"

Rick nodded then moved his hand to hold hers in his own before speaking again.

"We should be able to rest here for a little while, but we can't say here for long, that heard is gonna catch up to us sooner or later."

Michonne nodded her head in agreeance then replied. "We'll be ready when need be. We're always alert, except for when we aren't. And when we aren't, it could get us killed." It took her a moment to continue on but this had to be said. "listen, whatever is happening with us, it needs to end. Carl needs the both of us and all of us to survive."

"No you just don't want to be vulnerable again...with me." Rick said sharply before leaning into her speaking softly, "I can still love you Michonne. I can love you and protect us at the same time."

Michonne said nothing, as if she made up her mind before he tried to convince her otherwise. His profession to love made her decision even harder to accept at this point. She moved er hand from his, convinced that breaking away was the best thing for all of them. Rick was hurt at the rejection and angrily stared down shaking his head before standing up, he walked from the couch then paced back and stared down at Michonne, still sitting there, stone faced.

"Do you even care that I love you, does that even matter?"

"It does Rick, it just can't matter now."


	3. Chapter 3

Michonne left the living room, leaving Rick to sulk or even hate her if he wanted to in private. As she walked towards the kitchen to Carl, she stopped and leaned her head against a wall closing her eyes as she took a deep sigh. Sometimes taking a moment not to think meant everything. She always thought, always worked things out in her head alone. Ending a relationship with rick before they even got to be something good, great even, was really messing with her. She thought it best she moved on from it, but she still remembered the way he cupped her face just before that hungry kiss. Carl came into the hallway, tilting his head slightly in suspicion as he saw her.

"Are you ok? He asked.

"Yea I'm just a little tired. Did you find any food?" Michonne asked.

"Just enough for another bet," Carl said with a cheeky smile.

Michonne laughed, "you sure about that? You won't get that lucky again.

"Oh I'm sure." Carl laughed as did Michonne.

Carl walked with her back into the kitchen where he had laid out the little he found. "I found two jars of strawberry jelly, a bottle of water, and this box of crackers in the cabinet."

"What are you willing to part with?" Michonne teased.

"Whatever you want the most?" Carl teased back.

Michonne bumped him with her hips a little and hovered her hand over the items on the table until she snatched up one of the jars of strawberry jelly. "Looser gets this jar of jelly." Michonne said as Carl sweetly replied. "But the winner shares half."

"That's my boy" Michonne said adoringly.

Carl and Michonne walked into the living room headed for the door, "hey where are you going?" Rick asked. Carl looked at rick and how he didn't even glance at Michonne, his eyes then switched to Michonne's expression and found nothing, why where they both trying to avoid each other all of a sudden? "Just going out to the porch dad. Its for a bet."

"Alright," Rick nodded his head, "just stay close then."

Carl nodded and walked outside with Michonne after him. Once he heard the door lock he turned around to her. "I know what we could do for our bet. We can tell the truth. What's going on between you and my dad?"

"You think something's going on?"

"He smiles at you sometimes when you're not looking." Michonne just walked around Carl and removed her katana before sitting down on the highest porch step. Carl had already grabbed two spoons for the two of them. He sat by Michonne handing her a spoon as he kept one for himself then unscrewed the top, the smell of the strawberry jelly perked them both up slightly as they both shared in finally having a flavor of something to eat after such a long time without.

"Just so you know I wouldn't mind you and my dad being together." Carl said randomly with a mouth full of jelly. Michonne was surprised at first but then inquire, "how come?"

"We're already like a family." Carl's words and the simplicity of his comment hit her like a ton of bricks. It shouldn't be that hard, and maybe Rick was right, maybe he was capable of both. Love was his driving force for Carl, why not her as well? Out of all the things to be scared of out here, walkers, the cruelty of man, even getting too sick meant death. She thought love shouldn't be on a list of something to fear.

"Are you gonna be alright out here for a bit?"

"You're gonna take my advice, make it right?" Michonne nodded and took a few more scoops of the jelly with her spoon before leaving him the rest. Carl smiled as he watched her walk back into the house, after picking up her sword, she was never far away from that katana. Rick was standing by the window when he turned to see Michonne was back in the living room with him.

"I'm sorry." She said softly.

"Michonne you can't be jerking me around like this."

"I'm not." She sighed, "I am but I don't mean to."

"Then what are we doing? Because according to you I can't do both. I can't be in love with you and protect us at the same time."

"I'm willing to let you prove me wrong."

Rick looked at Michonne with a raised eyebrow, then turned away from her shyly, a grin appearing on his face before he was even conscious of his grinning. He trusted her with his life, with his son, her being ready to let him into her heart would have been everything.

Michonne knew she had to do something, she was more of a shower then a teller anyways. Walking towards Rick, she turned him around to face her gently then grabbed his face and kissed his mouth hard, and Rick with no hesitation kissed her back with such passion. She felt his arms wrap around her in a tight embrace, and in the same moment their kiss deepened and their tongues danced sensually together.

"No more games anymore I promise." Michonne said looking up at him.

Rick nodded his head and kissed her cheek before hugging her, "I know, I believe you."


	4. Chapter 4

Rick and Michonne could kiss like this all day. In one of the rare moments where he could just be a man in love, still lust was taking them over, similar to how they first got together, acting on impulse and that dormant need for one another. Though this time it wasn't dormant, he wasn't just realizing how much he needed Michonne, he knew, it was all out in the open now and he could only assume she felt the same as he did since the shove of her hands against his chest sent him falling backwards onto the couch.

As Rick's back landed on the couch he grabbed Michonne's hips while she sat straddling him. He watched the skin of her stomach appear, then her round breasts resting in her bra with the removal of her top. His hands flowed up her fit stomach before reaching further up to pull her bra straps from her shoulders. Both had ear to ear grins as Rick sat up and Michonne placed her hands on his shoulders for some balance. Their lips mashed together again, and Rick inhaled Michonne's breath before biting at her bottom, lip toying with her. Rick reached behind her back unhooked her bra. As the fabric fell between their laps, Rick's mouth kissed along her shoulders then sucked sensually at her neck, the tingle of his fingertips along her spine, the pulling of the skin of her neck between his lips, the gentle graze of his teeth, made her moan feverishly.

Rick lifted Michonne pressing her against his chest while he rotated their bodies so that he was on top and she was on her back. He grabbed her face kissing her and feeling her lips parting against his, her tongue entering his heated mouth to lick playfully at his tongue. He smiled within the kiss, before they parted lips. Michonne's pants and underwear came off at once with the eager pull of rick's hands. Rick took a moment just took look at her. He starred at her beautiful naked body laying there like she was a living dream come true. It would be the brief moment he had to take in the the sight of her before he saw that look come on her face, that look that told he to get ready.

Their passions untied as one, from the couch, then to the floor with Michonne gaining her dominance over him. she rode him so rhythmically on the ground between the couch and the dusty living room table. Michonne stared down at him with such fire, like she wanted to eat him alive, but Rick stared back at her almost as if he couldn't handle the pleasure that was given to him. Michonne could contain her screams, the release for her was the way she gripped his shoulders for dear life, at the very least she tried her hardest as to not alarm Carl to what was happening, but the two's constant groans kept colliding.

Rick was about to explode, she could feel it, and he could feel the rapid contracting around his girth from her. Michonne covered his mouth muffling his loud grunt as the two reached their peek together, Ricks eyes rolled into the back of his head and his hands reached to claim her circling hips, steadying Michonne trembling figure above him. Michonne laid on top of him, hearts racing together while his hands wrapped around her back.

'I wish we could stay like this forever" Michonne said rubbing her head on his chest.

"Me too" rick agreed rubbing her back and kissing her forehead with a smile.


	5. Chapter 5

Rick was tucking his shirt into his pants and combing his hands through his disheveled hair via his lady love, glancing back at Michonne who was still getting dressed. Opening the front door, he came to a full stop when he saw that Carl had fallen over on the top set. "Caarll!" Rick rushed towards his son seeing that Carl was indeed alright, but had just fallen asleep.

Michonne heard Rick's call and grabbed her katana, unleashing it from it's case, she rushed towards the door and stepped onto the porch to see Rick by Carl's slumped over body. Her heart raced thinking Carl might of been hurt.

"Dad..." Carl said sitting up slowly and looking around thinking something was wrong. "What's happening?" Carl asked looking at his dad with a drowsy stare. Michonne's fear subsided quickly seeing Carl was sitting up and becoming alert.

Rick answered his son. "Nothing, I thought something happened to you but you're ok. I'm sorry you were out here alone so long."

Michonne lowered her head feeling selfish but even worse, she felt reckless by her passionate tryst with Rick. Anything could of happened but she just wasn't thinking, and neither was Rick at the time.

Carl shook his head shrugging lightly, "we were running for so long before. I just wanted to lay down. Didn't know I'd fall asleep. Did you and Michonne work things out?" Carl asked hopefully.

"Rick simply nodded his head looking down with a smile, "yea, we're ok."

Michonne stepped further out onto the porch seeing a vague silhouette in the far distance.

"We might not be alone here anymore." She whispered.

Suddenly Rick stood up as he and Carl both caught onto what Michonne was saying. Rick pulled out his gun aiming it at the slight blur ahead of them. Carl did the same even though he knew he only had a bullet or two left. Michonne took a readied stance beside Carl with her sword.

Stepping down the few steps, Rick emerged to get a better sight of the person, Rick kept his gun up narrowing his eyes as he tilted his head in confusion.

"Who is it dad?" Carl said knowing for sure it wasn't a walker since there was no staggering, each step the figure made was deliberate.

Rick lowered his gun, smiling as he could finally put a face to the blur. It was Daryl.

Daryl looked opposite them, seeing as clear as day Rick, Carl, and Michonne on that porch. Daryl moved quicker to get to then. Rick ran out, then Carl, dashed down the steps after his dad to greet Daryl. Michonne followed after them with her casual swagger smiling as if she knew somehow this moment would come.

Daryl and Rick embraced in a hug. "I almost thought we'd never see you again, man" Rick said as he patted Daryl on the back and pulled away smiling. "Its just good to be seen" Daryl replied while hugging a gleeful Carl.

"Its is just you guys here?" Daryl asked Rick who nodded his head somberly. Daryl looked down sadly, the absence of Judith could be felt by all of them. The topic seemed to be easier to avoid then actually facing, especially in such a moment of joy. Daryl smiled at Michonne and bumped her shoulder shyly, the action making her smile softly towards him.

"I was tracking foot steps I couldn't be sure belonged to anybody I knew." He looked to Michonne for a moment. "And then I saw your headless walkers." Daryl and Michonne shared in a soft stare, broken only as Rick wrapped an arm around Daryl lovingly like a brother would, "come on lets go inside."

It had been some time after the four headed back into the cabin. Rick walked into the living room, seeing Carl and Michonne huddled up on the couch flipping through a comic Carl found in one of the upstairs bedrooms. If there was a comic anywhere in the world Michonne was convinced Carl wound find it. Rick smiled at the two then looked behind him seeing Daryl alone seated at the kitchen table snacking on a few crackers. They had all been though so much at the prison but Daryl seemed to shut down. Rick walked into the kitchen and pulled out a chair sitting next to him.

'You okay?"

Daryl nodded. "I found you guys again. I'm a lot better off then I was before."

"Where you alone?"

"I was with Beth."

"Is she dead?" Rick feared to ask.

"I don't know but she's just...gone."

Rick didn't want to press anymore on how Beth and Daryl got separated so the two just sat there, taking a moment to smile when hearing Michonne but more so Carl's laughter in the other room. Rick's smile lingered for a lot longer then Daryl's did.

"So where do we go from here?" Daryl asked.

"We can hold up here for a long as we can but eventually we have to look for food and supplies early tomorrow."

Daryl nodded getting up from the table. Night had finally come and it was pitch black outside, "alright I'm gonna get some shut eye, i'll head out first thing tomorrow."

Rick stood from his seat as well shaking his head. "No we'll all go. We move as a unit now. I don't want any of us splitting up again. Go get some sleep" Rick said with a concerned tone patting him on the back.

Daryl nodded and headed upstairs. He was tired and a bed with some shelter in any condition would have been better then sleeping out doors on the cold hard ground.

On Michonne's way into the kitchen and Daryl's way out, the two caught a glimpse of each other. She nodded her head acknowledging him as he repeated the same motion before vanishing up the staircase. Michonne hugged rick from behind and kissed the side of his neck affectionately.

"I head you two having fun in there." Rick said smiling.

"I always have fun with Carl. I could really get into these comics." Michonne stated playfully then stepped around to the front of him and kissed his lips gently. "We really need to find a grocery store, a drug store, anything by tomorrow."

Rick set his hands at her hips then moved his arms to wrap around her back holding her closely against him. "I know, we're all heading out after some sleep."

"Daryl and I should go. You weren't healed completely, and god knows our strenuous activities didn't help. You need the time to completely heal. Daryl and I are capable of taking care of ourselves."

"I know but I don't want you to be away from me to long. I know you need stuff. Rick added suggestively "thangs." Michonne nodded her head. "We haven't exactly been completely careful." Michonne once again felt the realization of her recklessness, and in her head promised she'd be herself again, and not fall so deeply into being this impulsively risky with Rick again. I just hope we find something" Michonne said then felt his gentle kiss on her lips.


	6. Chapter 6

Three walker heads tumbled onto the ground, one after the other like raindrops. The body of another walker landed over the heads with an arrow wedged between the eyes. Daryl bent over to retrieve his arrow as Michonne Flicked blood from her katana.

The two were out together searching for basically any place they could ransack for food and other items they needed. Michonne had insisted that Carl stay behind to make sure his dad stayed in bed, but she also sensed some distance between the father and son that hopefully her boys could take the time to work out.

'That thing heavy?" Daryl asked watching Michonne's tight grip on her sword.

"It might be for you, but its just fine for me." She said in a playful manner.

"Whatever." Daryl smirked aiming his crossbow at a few more walkers headed their way. Daryl got one right in the head as Michonne walked up to another swinging her sword, slicing her prey open from navel up, then spinning around she hurled her sword outward quickly decapitating another walker approaching her. As she aimed to swing at the last walker Daryl's arrow landed in its head first. Michonne looked back, her dreads flashing over her strong shoulder with the quick turn of her head to see a smugly smiling Daryl.

"Looks like I'm quicker with my bow." He said toying with her.

Michonne put her hand on her hip. "I can take out up to 4 walkers with the right swing, how many can you get in between loading up another arrow?"

Daryl nodded thinking she had a point. "My arrows are still affective though, just like your sword. We make a pretty badass team huh?"

He got a smile out of Michonne with that one. "Yea we do." Walkers were always a threat, always something to fear, especially in herds but the two always knew how to handle themselves, that gave them some certainly to the point where they could unintentionally make a game of killing walkers.

"You ever gonna let me take a swing with that thing?" Daryl asked. There was only one walker in the distance hissing and staggering towards them. Michonne stared Daryl down for a second before handing it over as he set his cross bow on the ground. The sword felt just as heavy as he thought it would but showed off for Michonne by juggling it back and forth between his hands. Michonne rolled her eyes and stood there watching him approaching the walker. When close enough Daryl swung the sword at the walker, separating the walker from its head with some trouble that made him trip backwards a little.

Michonne looked down laughing as Daryl turned around smiling at her. "Pretty good for my first time aint it?" Michonne nodded watching him walk back as she bent over picking up his bow. "Let me show you how to use that." Daryl said.

"I think I can manage it" Michonne replied. But Daryl got behind her and moved her hands in all the right places on the bow as he left little space between himself and the curve of her bottom. "See if you can hit that tree branch up there" Michonne aimed her arms slightly up after Daryl adjusted her arms a little further outwards so that the end of the bow wasn't so close to her chest. She then narrowed her eyes then shot the arrow.

She release the arrow feeling a little jolt which would inch her backwards against Daryl who held her hips balancing her. "You'll get a little better at it." Daryl said against her ear seeing she'd handled his bow just as well as his try with her sword. Though he'd never admit that to her, wouldn't want to boast her ego to much he thought to himself. He noticed the lack of space between their bodies. Michonne did too and cleared her throat stepping forward as Daryl searched the ground around his feet aimlessly to avoid the awkward moment and scratched the back of his head not knowing what he was feeling by being that close to her. "Ima get that arrow, we gotta go." Michonne nodded still holding his cross bow while walking after him.

Spotting a bunch of cars ahead of them, the two instinctively split ways, each checking if any of the cars had even an ounce of gas left. After a few failed attempts, Daryl finally got one of the cars started. "Son of a bitch has at least a mile or two worth in it." Daryl said to Michonne who replied walking towards him"good we'll take it as far as we can."

Getting into the passenger's seat Michonne sat back slamming the car door shut on her side before Daryl started to drive. Michonne looked out the window, it seemed like the longest road yet so far nothing, just trees and a clear way ahead of them. At least there were no walkers in sight yet. Coming up on a drug store in the distance Daryl stopped the car as they both watched about three walkers roaming around in circles around the entrance to the store, maybe even more inside, they feared. Daryl and Michonne got out of the car and walked ahead trading off their weapons. Michonne ran into the store and quietly scanned the area seeing it was clear, Daryl was outside pulling his arrows from the three walkers and ran in after her. It was a success how many things they were able to get outta that drug store.

Getting back in the car and Daryl speed down the road as fast as he could before the car inevitably ran out of gas. The two went on by foot walking side by side lugging their bags and weapons over their backs. Daryl caught himself checking Michonne out, her eyes switched to the side catching him just after he'd looked away.

"Your pretty quiet over there." Michonne said deciding to break the silence.

"That's funny coming from you." Daryl replied.

The sound of Michonne's light laughter formed a smile across Daryl's face. He looked at her then away hiding the color in his cheeks from Michonne's attention. She noticed despite his attempt to hide it and teased him.

"You melt like ice cream on the inside don't cha Dixon." She laughed

"Shut up" he laughed continuing to blush. After a moment when their laughter died down a bit Daryl's tone slightly changed into a more serious one. "I'm sorry. I shudda helped you look for the Governor instead of telling you to let it go. Shudda been out there with you."

Michonne nodded her head accepting his apology but also hoping that he was aware that she never blamed him for wanting to stay at the prison. "He's dead. Got my katana back and pushed it right through his heart. He was almost going to kill Rick. And I'd be dammed if I let him take another person away from me."

"That asshole is where he needs to be right now. Dead." Daryl said.

"To bad Hershel and Andrea are too." She said sadly.


	7. Chapter 7

A loud blast spread through the air as Michonne and Daryl were nearing the cabin. Michonne took off running, dropping her back pack in the middle of the woods and grabbing her katana handle from her back extending it forward. Daryl dropped his bag in the same spot running after Michonne loading his cross bow.

Michonne's heart was beating out of her chest thinking the worst. She wanted to call out for Rick and Carl but thought it too risky, she didn't know the situation inside. Running up the steps she was grabbed back by Daryl who wanted to check on what was happening on the inside first beforehand. They ducked under the first window just outside the cabin. Daryl raised his head slightly checking inside from the window cautiously. "Holey shit" Daryl said looking in.

Michonne rushed in through the front door, to hell with caution she wanted to see her family. Rick standing before her breathing heavily with one man dead on the floor by his feet, blood pouring from the intruder's neck as Rick's hands were covered, and dripping with blood. Another man was shot in the back of the head. Carl came into her view, his gun still smoking from the shot. As Carl ran to Michonne she knelt down hugging him tightly and looking over at Rick who seamed to be in a trance. She stood up from Carl and walked towards rick slowly as Daryl nervously watched him. She searched his face for some recognition that he saw her, "Rick..." she whispered setting her sword down slowly seeing a change in his eyes. His body shook steadily in place from the adrenaline of having to save himself and his son. Michonne looked down at the man below his feet, it looked as if his neck had been torn into by Rick's own hands. She then noticed the deep line around Rick's throat. It burned bright red. Just imaging what he had to go through, what Carl had to see almost paralyzed her. "Michonne..." rick began to speak but Michonne just comforted him, "shhh... you don't have to say anything now." Michonne looked to Carl who reflected an almost emotionless gaze. She lead Rick into the kitchen and sat him down as she found a rag and wet it cleaning rick's bloody hands.

Daryl noticed Rick and Michonne's closeness but more than anything saw how well Michonne was able to get through to him. He did his part by taking Carl outside with him to scout out the area but also to collect the bags of items he and Michonne had brought back from the run.

"The bodies...I gotta get them outside." Rick said as Michonne nodded. "I'll take care of it." Rick shook his head and placed his shaken touch over Michonne's hand. She laid her free hand over his stroking it gently to sooth him. "No. When Carl comes back in he might need you." Rick was still pretty out of it but even in that state looked to Michonne with loving eyes.

Rick hesitantly pulled his hands from hers and walked down the hall towards one of the men, he grabbed one dragging him outside, then the next one. Michonne followed him stopping in the doorway. Carl was headed back to them with Daryl and the bags. Michonne wrapped an arm around Carl and took him inside leaving Rick and Daryl to finish taking care of the bodies outside.

"We thought it was you and Daryl coming back." Carl said.

Michonne turned to Carl as he started to open up about what happened.

"Dad got to the door first and I heard one of them talking, they wanted the place. The bigger guy came towards the kitchen seeing me and I didn't have my gun so I ran. I didn't know what my dad was doing but the one he fought with started screaming, I swear I could hear the blood in his yell."

Carl paused for a moment, his mind recalling the events in his head in flashes. "The guy chasing me heard his friend and went into the living room. So I chased him. He was strangling my dad from behind with something I couldn't see. He didn't see me but i saw his gun. I pulled it out and shot him in the back of his head." Carl remembered his own hands fumbling the gun in his clutches just before the gun went off.

"I wanted them to die and I don't feel bad about it. My dad is probably worried, thinks I'll need to talk but I don't. I don't feel anything right now. Does that make me a monster?"

Michonne shook her head. "Wanting to save your father will never make you a monster. Your father would do anything to protect you and I'm proud that you'd do the same to protect him."

Carl remembered how he'd shot a guy apparently disarming his gun while at the prison, he felt that incident prompted his father's change into being more of a pacifist then a leader of the group, the change in his father Carl didn't always care for. Carl had seen the damage first hand of what the living could do and it was always worse then the dead. Similar to Michonne and his father, he wasn't going to let anybody kill someone he loved. But Rick still wanted him to be that kid before the apocalypse, but the world was different and Carl was too.

Everyone had spread throughout the cabin, Michonne searched for Rick and found him outside standing on the porch. She walked out and stood beside him, "Carl told me everything." Rick shook his head and looked at her, "he hasn't spoken to me since."

"He doesn't hate you rick." She said softly.

"I thought we could be safe here, had it in my head that no one could touch us, my guard was down." Her gaze was a comforting one as she listened to him. "Even after everything we've been though, I just wanted a few good days again."

"We can still have more good days, because we're all together and all alive."

"And I have you." Rick could always rely on Michonne to not only be someone he could relay on for emotional support. She never looked at him with anything less then completely respect. Now he had her respect and her love and that meant so much to him.

"Your always gonna have me, so get use to it." She smiled then felt his arms wrap around her. She carried her own arms up around his neck hugging him back and felt his head resting down on her shoulder.


	8. Chapter 8

Rick and Michonne sat together on the porch steps late under the night's sky. Michonne was polishing the length of her sword while Rick laid back slightly, resting back on his elbows. He was looking up at what seamed to by the only thing not affected by the Apocalypse. Not even a star in the sky but the moon shined brightly over them. Rick looked at Michonne who seemed to be all business at the moment as she attentively cleaned her sword.

"Sometimes I think you love that thing more than me." Rick joked as Michonne laughed a little. Rick leaned up placing delicate kisses streaming up the side of her firm arm.

"My sword doesn't kiss me like that" she turned her head smiling at him.

Rick chuckled, "lets hope not."

Michonne shook her head laughing then set her sword down at her side feeling Rick's hands moving to wrap around her waist. She moved closer to him resting in his embrace.

"Nights like this we gotta enjoy it while we have the time."

"You think my mind is elsewhere?"

"Is it?"

"Every part of me is right here with you."

Rick couldn't help but blush like a boy in high school. "You better watch it Michonne, I can't help myself when you get sweet on me like this."

"Then I'll help myself instead." Michonne leaned into Rick and kissed him with every ounce of vigor coursing through her veins. Rick did his best to match her ferocious impact, but the skillful way she wielded her tongue allowed him to bask in her dominance. Michonne pulled back from the kiss, her eyes tempted his stare as he aspired to feel those lips again.

Michonne stood up walking towards the open cabin door behind where they were seated. Pulling up the door shut, allowing Carl and Daryl to remain ignorant of their tryst outside. She turned around facing Rick who was coming towards her, Michonne then felt her back pressed up against the shut cabin door by Rick lead. That squeaky bed in the cabin was just not an option and of course they needed each other with such intensity now.

Michonne kissed Rick while Rick's hands moved over the curves of her hips then around to grab her bottom. The way their tongues attacked one another it could either be a lustful dance or a passionate battle there was no way to tell. They each moaned within the kiss before Rick pulled back and turned Michonne around. Michonne braced her hands against the door as Rick pressed his crotch against her bottom and slipped his hands under her top grabbing her breasts over her bra.

Michonne bit her lip feeling one of Rick's hand slipping into her jeans then his fingers sneaking into her panties brushing at her womanhood. Closing her eyes she moaned quietly as she felt his fingertips pressing inside her. Rick would thrust his digits in and out of her heated hole which moistened around his tormenting rhythm. She felt his bite at her neck as her head fell towards the side then his tongue swirled around her earlobe before he whispered against her ear, "tell me how much you love this."

"I love it so much, I don't want it to stop" she said, her words wrapped in desire. Turning her face to the left instinctively meeting his deep feverish kiss, she lifted a hand from the door and grabbed the back of his head harshly.

She turned her body over as his hand moved up from inside her panties, and the other trailed down her stomach from her breasts. She shed her bottom half of any material that hugged her hips and further down. Rick's eyes penetrated her's the entire time as he further teased her by sucked on his glistening wet fingers. Michonne rushed to unbuckle his belt then felt Rick's kiss again added with his hands lifted her up and wedging her between his body and the hard wooden door. He was hard and ready for her and wasted no time piercing inside her.

Rick Ravished her up against that door and as she looked up in pleasure she'd see the night's sky, and that bright full moon looming over them. Rick was right about the sky, it really was beautiful.


	9. Chapter 9

Rick and Michonne's bodies were always entwined in this passionate battle, so any rare moments where they just slept in bed together gave Rick some time to reflect. As he laid on his back, Rick cradled a sleeping Michonne who's head was resting on his chest. Gliding his fingertips along her arm, he watched her quiet breaths then noticed the sight of his wedding ring. He'd worn it all this time, a permanent fixture at this point since the day he married Lori. He loved Lori, and despite his marriage deteriorating before her death, there was a part of him that still loved her as if she was still alive and well, but an even larger part could still go on, and it was because of his son and Michonne.

Rick brought his hand up, maneuvering around Michonne's sleeping head, as he pulled the ring off his finger, it felt so simple. Part of him thought he couldn't do it, that the weight of his decision would feel like a ton, but it didn't. It surprised him how light it made him feel and even relieved.

Michonne woke up a little while after, to see him toying with the gold band between his fingers. "You took off your wedding ring?" She questioned looking up at him with a sleepy stare. Rick looked at her and nodded before kissing her forehead. "I thought it was about time I let her go." He said as Michonne rubbed her eyes gaining a clearer vision of him. Michonne reached up and stroked his bearded cheek softly. Rick wrapped his hand around her wrist and turned his mouth to kiss her palm. Michonne smiled and leaned over kissing his lips gently meeting his little puckered pout.

'You never asked me why I hadn't taken it off?" He wondered.

"I figured you'd do it in your own time. And you did." Michonne paused for a moment then asked, "do you still see her sometimes?"

"Its been a long while." He said with relief in his tone. "Do you still talk to Mike?"

"Sometimes, to let him know that I'm ok. That I'm still here. I'd like to think he'd be happy i'm in love again."

Rick smiled widely at the revelation. He'd felt that she loved him but the words had never left her lips like this.

"You what now?" He grinned widely.

She rolled her eyes and smiled softly back at him, "I love you Grimes. Was that that part your ear couldn't make out?" she teased but then spoke with sincerity. "I'm serious Rick, I do love you."

Rick couldn't contain his joy upon hearing her words even if he wanted to.

"You wanna know the moment I knew I loved you." Rick said.

"Probably the moment I didn't have any clothes on." She laughed.

Rick laughed and nodded his head, "yea basically." Michonne gasped and shoved him a little but Rick was only being playful with her, which she knew.

"Honestly It was the moment just before I first kissed you. That look in your eyes that told me I had to take that chance." Rick explain happily.

Michonne lowered her eyes shyly hiding the adoration she felt for him.

"If the world hadn't turned into a nightmare, do you think we would've met?" Rick asked.

"We probably would have. I was a lawyer before this, wouldn't be to odd to cross paths with a cop in a small town." She smiled.

"A lawyer? Very impressive." Rick said but wasn't to shocked she was a smart one.

She smiled "Yea and I was happy, giddy even." She laughed checking the surprising stare he sent her way. "Its true, I didn't have trauma back then and my walls weren't so built up." She looked down. "Life was so easy in comparison to now."

"We've come a long way since the first time we laid eyes on each other. You're not as closed off as you think you are."

"I know... but there are things I still can't tell you. And not for lack of trying, its just the words wont come out. Stuff that happened to me, before I met Andrea, before I showed up at the prison."

"It doesn't have to be tonight, or tomorrow, or months from now. I can easily wait for you to tell me anything." It did get to him that she was holding some things back but she waited for him and he'd wait for her, as long as it took. He lifted her chin gently starring into her eyes, she smiled and nodded leaning into him with a tender kiss.

A few hours had passed where all Rick and Michonne did was lay in bed together and talk. Not about the usual stuff like safety and survival, which was always something on their minds, but instead discussed their likes and whatever they enjoyed doing before the Apocalypse. Daryl had taken Carl outside to teach him how to track, and for just a couple of hours it seemed like Rick and Michonne were in this bubble without a single care in the world.

***I added a few more lines of dialog because I hate how short this chapter seamed to be. Anyways enjoy.**


	10. Chapter 10

_Michonne laid in bed with Rick,, sound asleep, bodies tangled together like hair strands weaved into a braid. She made a restless turn onto her back, her fingers still laced in his. The air was stiff and strangling her, a discomfort that slowly woke her. In her ear she heard feasting, her eyes shifted from left to right, nothing in that room could be making that sound, everything was still. She felt a pressing against her stomach, she tries to sit up, she can't move but she can scream, her eyes widened releasing a tear in terror as a walker had torn into her stomach and gnawed on her innards. She felt nothing, no pain, how could she feel no pain? Paralyzed in fear she could only move a few frantic digits to feel around for her sword, then her trembling hand stopped, she looked at the walker, its mouth and hands covered and dripping bright red pools of blood, flesh being chewed between its worn brown teeth, and how skin just slipped from the familiar face in shreds, "Mike?"_

Michonne woke up gasping for air and placing a hand on her stomach. She felt around her abs frantically, her forehead decorated in beads of sweat as her hands shook uncontrollably. She was all in one piece, it was just a dream. She'd secretly had dreams like these for the past few days now. She thought of it as her own personal torment for actually finding happiness after what she did to mike and his friend, and how her son was no longer Alive. This morning it was worse. There was an added thread of misery. She heard giggling in the distance and the patter of the tiniest pair of feet. She knew that giggle. "Andre!" She said getting up from the bed slowly, leaving behind a sleeping Rick as she grabbed her sword instinctively and followed the noise. She had to stop herself, she shook her head, took a deep breath, her chest was so tight it was as if the air around her decided she wasn't worthy. She couldn't let the past hunt her. She wasn't ready to fully grieve for Andre, she'd shut down before because she knew she couldn't get over that pain. She had to get out out this house, if only for the day.

She walked along the hall to check in on Carl, he was sleeping, he was safe. He breaths were still heavy as she wiped her forehead and closed her eyes to clam herself. In a moment's time she went downstairs and searched around for Daryl but didn't spot him so she stepped outside. The cool breeze helped her, the chill against her skin worked as a broom, sweeping away her fears. She spotted Daryl seated on the porch then watched him with annoyance as he was spinning on a sliver flask. God knows where he'd been stashing that the entire time.

"We could run into a herd of walkers at any moment, you really think its a good idea to get drunk?"

Daryl stood up watching the annoyance on Michonne's face. She'd already had a devastating past with men under the influence with the world like this. It was a sensitive subject and she was angry thinking history could repeat itself.

"Its just a swig or two, I aint gon be plastered or nothin." Daryl defended as he watched the anger on Michonne's face. "Tell Rick and Carl I'll be back in a while." She said sternly.

"Where are you going?" Daryl asked.

"I just need to be alone for a while."

"You know it aint safe, you might need some back up."

"You more than anybody should understand needing to be alone."

He took off after her and stopped her by gently grabbing her arm. "Back on our runs, we aint ever said much to each other but when we did it helped."

"Its different, this isn't about Merle or Andrea." She sighed softly and looked down at the ground. "We lost family, we connected on that but you never lost...your mind." She spoke with a saddened tone, the scowl on her face shifting into a helpless frown. "I hallucinate things from my past. And can't sleep anymore, I wake up thinking those dead people are real."

Daryl released her arm, a concerned look appearing on his face before he looked away from her shielding a sad stare. "You aint any crazier then the rest of us. I use to see Merle sometimes too. and I'd talk to him like he was real."

Michonne aimed to look up at Daryl, his words a comfort to her, but as she lifted her head, her eyes drifted beyond Daryl and she saw him, She saw mike as clear as day. He hadn't turned he even smiled at her with that handsome face that used to make her melt, but the moment didn't last, he'd turned, he was rotting. His arms were missing, his jaw, his eyes like pale marbles.

"Chonne, what are you looking at?"

"He's here...I see him. You don't see that?" She yelled in a fright.

Michonne saw Mike walking towards Daryl's back, "no no no..." she said in frightened gasps as she reached for the hilt of her sword. Daryl rushed towards her and grabbed her arms before she could pull her weapon, "Chonne" he shook her, "it aint real!" he screamed, "Chonne!" Michonne started to visibly shake, he could feel the skin of her flesh vibrate against his grip. The insides of her hands became sweaty, her breaths were shallow again, she was reaching for breaths that would be caught. "This isn't happening" she chanted to herself. Her eyes looked at Daryl's then past him again, Mike was gone and Daryl was scared.

"Come on, say something! Chonne?"

She exhaled deeply. "I thought...he was here again. He was just behind you." She said as her words rushed over one another.

"Who?" Daryl said looking at her, his hands still holding her in place.

"My boyfriend Mike. He'd supposed to be dead."

'He's what you hallucinate?"

She only nodded her head.

Daryl didn't really know how to handle a situation like this. He feared he'd say the wrong thing and trigger another vision. "You talk to anybody else about this?"

"No." She shook her head.

"But you can with me?" Daryl thought he would have been the worst kinda help since he knew he wasn't hiding his worry to well.

"What's one more sad story between us." She said somberly.

They just stood there with her for what seamed like forever, both were quiet. She didn't feel this way consciously but when the words left her lips she knew there was an imbalance with Rick and her level of comfort with him. Rick and Michonne getting close struck like a lightening bolt. Her and Daryl were more like flashes of thunder building up just before it rained. She wanted to fix that imbalance. Daryl was an easy ear but Rick meant to much to her not to tell him these things.

"If I ask you a question, you goin be honest with me?" Daryl asked but his tone alluded to the fact that he didn't want to ask this particular question.

"Don't see any reason to lie."

"You and Rick together?"

She nodded her head.

"Why him?" Daryl asked shocked at himself by being so forth coming. Rick was always off playing farmer or consumed with taking the initiative as a leader that he couldn't understand the quickness of his relationship with Michonne. He thought his own feelings for Michonne was just an infatuation, but its lasted so long. Whatever he was feeling wasn't fleeting.

"Its the way he makes me feel. Happy like before the world went to shit."

The admission from Michonne's own lips took Daryl aback. She was in love with Rick? But Rick really did make her happy and Daryl was faced with the fact that he'd lost her before he'd gotten the chance to have her. Wait, no. Why was he thinking about having her. She was his friend, she had to be. Just his friend.

Michonne knew all to well how Daryl was feeling, she could see it on his face and how strongly he tried to mask the fact that he was disappointed by her revelation. She figured she'd let him lead the way of the conversation. She wasn't going to acknowledge what she thought he felt for her unless he spoke the words, and even then she wasn't sure what she'd say.

Rick came outside from the cabin, his smile turning into a serious stare as he watch Michonne and Daryl from afar. Something about the way they were interacting together didn't sit to well with him. Daryl was almost close enough to kiss her and Michonne didn't seam to aware of the lack of distance between them, yet she was studying Daryl's every facial reaction.

Daryl stared at her, and she stared back, the look behind his eyes wanted to tell her that she shouldn't be with Rick, that she should be with him. Michonne's stare dreaded hearing anything to that liking. It had hit her all to late how Daryl had felt towards her, signs she should of picked up on whenever they'd go off on runs together while everything was still good at the prison. True to form Daryl forced the words out of his mouth, "I'm happy for the two of you." He cared for Rick and Michonne both and if they could be happy together all the more power to them, but he couldn't shake this sinking feeling in his stomach.

"Are you really?"

"Yea...but I just thought, I don't know. Maybe...that if you'd be with anybody it would have been..." Daryl didn't dare finish his sentence, Michonne was growing more and more uncomfortable before him. He stepped back a few paces realizing their closeness.

"We're friends Daryl. You were the first person to understand me, and after being on my own for so long, I needed that. I figured my only chance at a friend was Andrea, but when she was gone I didn't think I'd connect with someone like that again."

"So what? Now that connection is just gone."

She shook her head. "No. I still feel it but-"

Her words came to a halt as Daryl approached her, the space between them was limited yet again, she hated herself for looking into his eyes and she might have hated him for looking into her's.

"We can't have this conversation Daryl. It wont end well for you." she said stepping back from him. As she turned to head back into the cabin she saw Rick starring back at her. She exhaled deeply and shook her head, "shit." Rick turned coldly and entered the cabin. Daryl was flooded with guilt, he didn't know who he felt more sorry towards. The man who was like his brother to him in the truest form, or the woman who didn't share the strong feelings he held for her.

"Michonne I'll talk to him" she turned around and shook her head. "Daryl just let me handle this ok." Michonne walked off towards the cabin then entered it seeing Rick with his hands on his hips pacing back and forth in the living area.

Rick wasn't going to go through this again. Michonne wasn't Lori, she wasn't anything like her. She wouldn't entertain to men after her like Lori did. But if history was going to repeat itself this time with Michonne and Daryl he wasn't going through that again. Rick turned around hearing Michonne's footsteps closing in behind him.

"If something's going on between you and Daryl you better tell me right now."

"Nothing is happening Rick."

"You sure?" he asked in an aggravated tone, "because what I saw didn't look like nothing. And you rushed out this morning to do what exactly? Meet up with him?"

"No I didn't, I just wanted some time alone."

"You're always in your own head, something is always on your mind but you never share any of that with me. Now your out there with telling him something you aint sharing with me." He raised his voice, his words dripping with anger.

"Rick!" she screamed at him but returned quickly to her normal soft spoken tone. "I'm seeing things that aren't real anymore. I'm seeing Mike."

"What?" he lingered for a moment, his anger turning into deep concern. "And you didn't you couldn't tell me this?"

"I was being selfish. Didn't want you seeing me as weak."

"You're the strongest woman I've ever come across in my life."

"Physical strength Rick but you don't see whats going on in my head. How I let him haunt me."

"You're strong mentally too. Michonne, I've never had to worry about you. I've always known that you could handle yourself, that you could protect the people you care about. I trust you with everything, I trust you with my son. A day is never gonna come where I think of you as weak. Baby I just want you to talk to me." Rick pleaded.

"Remember a while back, with Merle. He said that when he found me and Andrea I had two pet walkers on chains. They weren't random walkers, I knew them. One was my boyfriend Mike and the other was his friend Terry. I had a son with Mike...I went out for a run, left him with his father even though Mike had started to drink as I left, Terry too. The entire time I kept telling myself I wouldn't be gone long, and on my way back I didn't walk, I ran. The place got over run and I knew what happened to my son. Mike and Terry got bit, I watched them die and I let them turn. I carried them with me to punish myself for not being there to protect my son. Mike is what I see now. Mike is what haunts me. The way I mutilated him haunts me." She left out how the ghost of her son haunted her. She thought she would never be ready to talk about him. It even surprised that that she mentioned Andre to Carl, maybe because she knew Carl wouldn't press the issue.

The way Rick looked at here, she hated it. It made her feel weak, she just wanted to leave. She wanted to cry. She saw him coming towards her, her body was willing her to just leave but he grabbed her and he held her, and somehow he made her feel like things would somehow be better.


	11. Chapter 11

"I spy with my little eye something green." Carl said as he looked up at Michonne.

"Nature" Michonne smirked with a light laugh.

"Don't cheat." Carl replied taking the game to seriously.

"Ok, trees, leaves, and grass." She said, playfully antagonizing him.

"Hey, you get one at a time."

"Alright, alright." She shrugged her shoulders and looked down at Carl directing her stare towards his impatient gaze. "Grass."

"Took you long enough." Carl laughed teasing her. Michonne bumped him gently with her hip. The two were spending the afternoon together on a walk, and now they were headed back to the cabin. Michonne's eyes every once in a while checked the marks she'd previously made on some trees, so that they wouldn't get lost on their way back. Spending time with Carl brought clarity and lately she hadn't been feeling like herself.

Michonne looked ahead of them as they approached the cabin in clear view. Carl was watching his foot steps randomly kicking up dirt. "Ok, I spy with my little eye something...in cowboy boots" she said as Carl's chuckled beside her and looked up while they watched Rick walking towards them.

"My dad. Too easy."

"Yea, well I promised I'd let you win this one."

"Carl, you mind if I talk to Michonne for a bit?" Rick asked as he placed a hand on his son's shoulder.

Carl looked up at his dad and nodded, then smiled at Michonne before walking off to find something to occupy his time. Michonne reached for Rick's hand and held it as they walked. She smiled feeling him holding onto her just as strong as she held onto him.

"Are you still seeing Mike?"

She nodded her head.

"I told you once before that I use to see things. It was Lori that I used to see. Back at the prison, I felt like I was loosing it after Lori died. I spoke to a dead phone thinking I was having a conversation with her. Our marriage was falling apart towards the end, I didn't even want to talk to her. She had been with Shane, my best friend and there was this baby on the way. Judith was mines, I always thought of her that way but every time I saw Lori with that pregnant belly, I kept thinking of Shane."

Michonne's attention was tight on Rick as he opened up to her. She allowed him to express as much as he wanted about Lori and the situation with Shane. By the look in his eyes she could tell he'd been harboring so many emotions about it all. "What happened to Shane?"

"I killed him. I had to. He just kept luring me out further and further away from the group while we were out looking for this kid we'd held captive who was a danger to the group, I didn't wanna kill him but Shane kept enforcing that killing him would be the best option. That day we found out the kid was missing, suddenly Shane comes out of no where with a broken nose, claims he got the drop on him. I didn't believe that, Shane was a pretty big guy and this kid just wouldn't of had a chance." Rick looked at Michonne after having his head held down throughout the retelling. "He was going to kill me... so I killed him first."

Rick saw Michonne stop. She faced him with a sincere look on her face. She understood what he had to do and didn't fault him. He closed his eyes as her gentle hand touched his cheek and stroked at his peppered beard before that touch rested gently on his neck. When Rick had told Lori about Shane, she pulled away from him. He thought she would understand but she didn't. Michonne's reaction was the polar opposite, she didn't make him feel like an evil man and that meant the world to him because even till this day he felt guilty about Shane... Lori too.

"Rick, you did what you had to do. Regardless if he was your best friend, it was kill or be killed." She watched him starring into her eyes with a knowing nod. She understood even more how how deep his anger went about what he thought he saw between her and Daryl." I'm not her, Rick. And Daryl defiantly isn't Shane. I don't want you waiting around for the other shoe to drop. Neither of us would betray you like that."

"I saw the sighs between Shane and Lori and i ignored them." He started to say as he looked away from her but then back at her again. "I see you Michonne, I feel your loyalty and I'm not worried about you."

"And Daryl?"

When Rick didn't respond right away she nodded her head. She wasn't going to force Rick to speak to Daryl but she would push him in the right direction, as blatantly as possible. They needed to mend fences. It was just the four of them now and they all need to trust and rely on each other. "He's going hunting in a few. Told me this morning. If he gets something big he might need your help. You should go with him, I'll stay here with Carl."

She didn't give him the chance to dismiss the thought to much. She just kissed him on the lips and smiled walking around him. Rick turned to watch her leave, his eyes drifting south.

"Subtly is not really your thing is it?" he called out to her in a teasing manor.

"Nope." He heard her reply and laughed.

The sun was burning bright against Rick's back, he closed his eyes feeling the warmth from its rays. He turned around facing towards the woods to see what looked like more then a dozen walkers swerving in and out of trees headed towards the Cabin. He looked back in Michonne's direction. "Michonne!" She looks to rick and sees what's further behind him, she unleashed her sword forward and ran swiftly towards him. Rick pulled out his knife and ran furthest to the right taking out a lone walker who moved at a much quicker pace then the rest. Rick's knife stabbed through the forehead with force. Pulling his knife loose his repeated the same with the next fast approaching walker.

Michonne swung her sword horizontally slicking a walker in half, as the walker severed from its stomach, she split the head of another with the force of her blade. She kicked at the next oncoming walker to her side before splitting its throat. Pivoting to her right she swung again, using her strength to decapitate one walker, then the another, and another. She'd worry about the tole it took on her body later but for now she had to take out as many as she could.

She staggered backwards checking on Rick who was dodging hands attempting to grab at his shirt. She lifted her sword as two more came towards her in a hurry, it seamed endless in the moment. She wondered how these walkers were so fast. As Rick was preoccupied with the walkers surrounding him, one staggered towards his side while he yanked at his knife lodged in a tougher skull. The walker gets close, and then closer, Rick doesn't see it but then he can hear the hissing at his ear. Droplets of blood splash against Rick's neck. Turning around he sees the walker dropping at his feet, with an arrow through its head. He looks back at Daryl who strings another bolt and is rushing towards the herd. He nods at Daryl and Daryl nods back. Carl rushes out of the house, his hand holds his own gun as he sees all three working in unison the clear this group of the undead. He sees Michonne, sees how she's slightly winded and rushes towards her side adjusting his silencer. He aims with purpose, shooting walkers around Michonne to lessen her load, he never misses.

As the walkers are all down for the count, Michonne falls backwards and Carl rushes towards her in fear thinking she'd been bit or hurt. "Michonne!" He screams then rushes to kneel down beside her. Rick rushes towards his son and Michonne, he's out of breath himself but fights through it to get to her, Daryl follows behind him. "Carl!" He screams as Michonne sits up breathing heavily, "it ok dad, she's just a little wined." Rick comes down by her, opposite Carl and she turns to him smiling, "We need to get you inside." He says to her with relief.

"Rick I'm fine. Carl's right I'm just tired. They were a lot faster then any before."

Rick nods his head and touches her cheek then tilts his head and leans in as the two share a loving kiss. Rick stands then takes Michonne by the hand helping her up, she feels a little light headed in her stance which Carl notices and takes Michonne with him towards the Cabin.

"Thanks for saving me." Rick says to Daryl.

"I always got your back." Daryl replied starring at him like a wounded puppy. "I'm sorry I lost my head for a minute with Michonne. I wasn't thinking straight." He looked down feeling ashamed of his actions.

Rick nodded.

"If it means anything, you two are the right fit. I don't wanna see anything breaking yal up."

Rick looked at him and scratched at his beard for a bit, "you still going huntin'?"

Daryl nodded, "yea."

"Good. I'm coming along." He smiled at Daryl and patted him on the back.


End file.
